Visit www.pinellascounty.org/hr/wellness or contact Wellness staff at 464-4049 or wellness@pinellascounty.org JULY 2020

The information included in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for consulting with, or any recommendation of, your healthcare provider.

INSIDE◆ Weight By Numbers: Small Losses Make a Difference /

Did You Miss Nurse Amy’s Webinar? page 2◆ NEW Nurse Amy webinar: Strategies for the Prevention of

COVID-19 / Oral Health Impacts Overall Health / Sun Safety page 3

◆ Biometric Screening & Health Survey FAQs page 4◆ Cooking from the Roots page 5◆ How to Eat Healthy and Save Money page 6

It’s Okay to Not Be OkayBy Jane Grannis, Wellness Manager

Great News About Incentives! The Wellness Program is providing an alternate way for em-ployees to earn wellness incentives through the end of 2020.Why? Due to COVID-19 and an abundance of caution, the onsite Wellness Series is canceled this year, but it’s impor-tant to stay engaged and connected to our well-being. Please see the COVID-19 Rally Incentive Chart to view the alternate wellness incentive activities.NOTE: This is for employees only as it replaces the learning series, for which spouses are not eligible.

Biometric Screening Requirement Waived for 2020We recognize that this is an extremely stressful and uncertain time for our employees and their families. Our priority is to ensure the safety of all employees, and we recognize that obtaining a biometric screening (lab work) might not be accessible to some employees due to COVID-19 concerns. To that end, the requirement to complete a biometric screening in 2020 has been waived. Employees must still complete the Rally Health Survey before December 31, 2020 to qualify for the 2021 preferred premium. See the COVID-19 Update Biometric Screening FAQs online and on page 4 of this publication.

Dear Fellow Employee,In April, we published a “COVID Edition” of this newsletter. Here we are, three months later, and we’re still in the “COVID Edition” of life. So, how’s reality changed for you since March? Have you gotten used to a new normal and feeling pretty good? Are you strug-gling with returning to work, or have increased fear of exposure with the recent uptick in cases? You may be feeling calm and settled in one area of life, while feel-ing scared or out of control in another. This is definitely the case for me personally. I’ve gotten in the groove with my new daily routine both at home and at work (i.e. my reconfigured guestroom) which brings me a sense of calm and control. On the other hand, I worry about my kids starting school in a month (yikes!). What’s the right decision? All online? Send them to school? #parentingishard I worry about what this pandemic will look like in a couple of months, and what that means for my family, our economy, our citizens. So many unknowns!You may have seen TV commercials for cell phone service, cars, toilet paper, etc. proclaiming “We’re in this together.” And they’re right. Yes, absolutely we all need to get on the same page with mitigating the spread of COVID, but we’re also together in what’s known as collective trauma. Yes, it’s a real thing. This doesn’t mean my fear and anxiety looks exactly like yours, but the fact that we’re all ex-periencing something due to COVID-19 binds us. This is a really good thing in one way, because we can

Continued page 3.

TO YOUR HEALTH | JULY 2020

YourUHCNurse

Amy

Weight By Numbers: Small Losses Make a Difference

By Amy Hertog, RN, BSN, Clinical Nurse Liaison

2

Visit Amy’s web page or contact her at 464-5579 or by email at amy_hertog@uhc.com.

It’s common for people to think that unless they lose dozens of pounds, they will not be any healthier. Studies have shown that health benefits resulting from weight-loss are evident with a weight reduction as low as 5% to 10%. There are several reasons for this.Biometric Number Impact

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your body. A high level of triglycerides (greater than 200 mg/dL) means a higher likelihood of a heart attack or stroke. You can get closer to healthy levels (around 150 mg/dl) with weight loss. Losing 5% to 10% of weight can result in a five point in-crease in HDL (good) cholesterol. Raising HDL by these few points can lower the risk of an individual developing heart disease. HDL cholesterol of more than 40 mg/dl for men and more than 50 mg/dl for women is protective against heart disease.Extra body weight makes your blood push harder against your artery walls. That makes your heart work harder, too. You can lower your blood pressure by about 5 points if you trim 5% from that number on the scale.Body fat, especially in your belly area, produces chemi-cals that make your body stop reacting to the effects of insulin, a hormone that keeps the level of sugar in your blood normal. Even though your pancreas works harder to make more insulin, your blood sugar can get too high. A little bit of weight loss can help reverse this effect.

Other Benefits

Putting on extra pounds increases the chance of having sleep apnea. Weight gain can cause fat to accumulate in the neck area and obstruct breathing - which may lead to sleep apnea. Losing 10% of your body weight can significantly improve the condition or even get rid of sleep apnea completely. Just 10 extra pounds add 40 pounds of pressure on your knees and other lower body joints. That extra weight can wear out your joints sooner than later. Losing even a little weight can ease these effects. As a bonus, if you keep it off, you’re much less likely to get arthritis later in life.

If you’re ready to make some healthier changes in your life, Real Appeal® can help you get connected virtually with a supportive community of members, an online coach, and digital group sessions to learn new, healthy habits that promote weight loss, all while social distancing. You’ll never face weight loss challenges alone with Real Appeal.Connect with us at - pinellascounty.realappeal.com,Real Appeal is a program on Rally Coach™ available to you and eligible family members at no additional cost.

Did You Miss Nurse Amy’s Webinar “Coping with Anxiety During Transitions”?

In June, Nurse Amy presented a webinar to share coping strategies to manage anxiety. If you missed it, you can watch the 17-minute video now.

The presentation includes a review of anxiety symptoms, misconceptions, and what you can do such as make an action plan, take time-outs, practice mindfulness, and other valuable tooks and resources.

TO YOUR HEALTH | JULY 2020 3

Wear Your Sunscreen. Your Skin Will Thank You.

Spending time outside during the summer is a great way for you and your family to help stay healthier. Take your sun safety seriously to lower your risk of non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers. UnitedHealthcare offers this advice.

Sun Safety

Are you worried about “the right mask” or how to navigate through certain activities of daily life? This presentation breaks things down in easy to understand terms and smart COVID-19 practices. Join Nurse Amy for both the clinical and the practical information that can make life a bit more manageable. Sessions are July 14, 15, 21 and 22. Sign up is required.

empathize with one another, we can be there for our families, friends and coworkers when they need us. On the other hand, we ourselves may not be in an emotional state to help someone talk through their worry because we’re struggling our-selves. This works both ways. If we’re seeking to confide in someone who is trying to cope and not in a place to be a shoulder to cry on, we don’t get the care and attention we seek. One way I’m working through my anxiety is talk-ing with a counselor. She is a neutral party who helps me reframe my outlook so that I’m looking at my situation and fear from a more calm, rational perspective, which helps me better manage my feelings. I have found that this works really well because I am not adding to my elderly parents’ stress, or my spouse’s, but still working to help myself feel better. If you’ve never considered talking to a behavioral health counselor, consider it now. There’s nothing to lose since our EAP offers 6 free visits per issue per year per person for you and any members of your household. This is especially helpful if you are living with someone and you’re not sure how to help them as well as take care of yourself. You could also present this option to a coworker who may be in a difficult place. Let’s acknowledge how we feel collectively, how we feel individually, and care for our emotional health. It will help us to get through this pandemic, whose end is unknown, and it will help those around us as well. Take good care,Jane

When you need it, you can get emotional support 24/7 by calling Optum at (866) 248-4096. You can also visit www.liveandworkwell.com (access code “Pinellas”) to search for resources; for example, type coping in the search bar. Also read the CDC’s publication Coping with Stress: Pandemics Can Be Stressful.

It’s OK to Not Be Okay - continued from page 1.NEW Nurse Amy Webinar: Strategies for the Prevention of COVID-19

Oral Health Impacts Overall HealthWithout proper oral care, the bacteria in your mouth can reach levels that may lead to infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease. Studies suggest that these bacteria and the inflamma-tion they cause can impact your overall health. The reverse can also be true – some health conditions and medications can affect your oral health.Which conditions are linked to oral health? How can you protect your oral health? View this flyer from Cigna to find out.

TO YOUR HEALTH | JULY 2020 4

Biometric Screening & Health Survey

Invest in Your Good Health and Save $500 on Your 2021 Premium

IMPORTANT UPDATE – JULY 2020 We recognize that employees may have concerns about getting

a blood sample taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. The requirement to obtain a biometric screening

(lab work) has been waived for 2020. The survey is still required.

Employees must complete the Rally health survey by December 31, 2020 to qualify for the 2021 preferred premium.

Biometric Screening FAQs What biometric data is requested for my health survey? See the list below. Enter your most recent numbers: • Height, weight, blood pressure,

total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (“good’), LDL cholesterol (“bad”), triglycerides (a type of fat) and fasting glucose (sugar)

If you have data for this year, that’s great. If your data is from previous years, that’s okay. Our priority is keeping you safe and healthy during the pandemic so it’s not necessary to get a screening in 2020. Am I eligible for the preferred premium if I don’t get a biometric screening done in 2020? Yes, if you complete the health survey.

Rally Health Survey FAQs What is the Rally health survey? • The health survey is an online

questionnaire that provides a private personal health checkup. Pinellas County does not receive individual results.

• Complete the health survey in Rally.

• To log into Rally, visit www.myuhc.com and select the Rally link.

• In Rally, scroll down to Quick Links, select My Profile, and Health Profile. Answer the questions and enter your most recent weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.

• Get step-by-step instructions with the Rally Help Guide.

How can I confirm that I completed the health survey in 2020? In Rally, select the Rewards tab, select Current Plan and scroll down to the Completed Activities section. Verify that Rally Health Survey has a 2020 completion date and a checkmark (see example). Who is exempt from completing the health survey? • Spouse/domestic partners • Employees whose health coverage begins

on July 1 or later • Employees who opt out of the health plan • Retired employees

What if I need more info or assistance? Contact the Wellness staff at (727) 464-4049 or wellness@pinellascounty.org.

www.pinellascounty.org/hr/biometric 7/8/20

TO YOUR HEALTH | JULY 2020 5

Cooking from the RooTs FREE Virtual Classes

PROGRAM DISCLAIMER: The information presented, and program material provided is for informational purposes only. It is intended to be used by the participant(s) to make informed decisions about their health. It should not be used as a substitute for treatment by or the advice of a professional health-care provider. The coaches will not be held responsible for the use or misuse of the information presented or program material which includes any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before making significant lifestyle changes or starting or modifying any treatment.

Explore the benefits of adopting a Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) lifestyle with Lifestyle Coaches Michelle and Bruce Odiorne.

Our Journey to a Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) Lifestyle The 4 Pillars of Healthy EatingJuly 16, 2020, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Focus on whole foods Fill your plate with plants Consider calorie density Choose healthy fatsCooking demonstration with recipe provided

• Mexican quinoa (one pot meal)

The Basics of Adopting a WFPB Lifestyle July 23, 2020 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. G-BOMBS The Daily Dozen (foods to eat) Label reading Dirty Dozen, Clean 15Cooking demonstration with recipe provided

• WFPB gluten-free pizza

Non-dairy AlternativesJuly 29, 2020, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Non-dairy alternatives Gluten-free cuisine Batch cooking Menu developmentCooking demonstration with recipe provided

• Non-dairy cheese

WFPB Made EasyAugust 5, 2020, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Air Fryers Instant Pot techniques Vitamix basics Yonanas frozen dessert maker WFPB reference materialsCooking demonstration with recipe provided

• Black bean brownies with nice cream

7/1/20

SIGN UP!

SIGN UP!

SIGN UP!

SIGN UP!

Sign up for each class individually.

TO YOUR HEALTH | JULY 2020 6

Ingredients

• 3 ounces shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined• 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage• ¼ avocado, skin and pit discarded, flesh sliced• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds• 1 teaspoon olive oil• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice• Freshly ground black pepper• 4 leaves romaine lettuce

Shrimp Saladwith Red Cabbage, Advocado and Sesame Seeds

The crunchy cabbage works well in this salad but feel free to experiment with different greens as a substitute.

1. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, cabbage,avocado, sesame seeds, oil, lemon juice, saltand pepper to taste.

2. Arrange lettuce on a plate and top with shrimpsalad. Serve.

Missing Out on Your Zzzzz’s? If you missed the Power of Sleep learning series, you can still take advantage of the valuable resources and tips for improving sleep, including the videos and workbook. Check out our sleep resources.

How to Eat Healthy and Save MoneyA grocery cart full of fruit, vegetables and lean meats can be much more expen-sive than a box of mac and cheese and other processed food. But if cost is prevent-ing you from shopping healthy, check out these tips to reduce your receipt.

It’s hard not to feel isolated right now. We miss our old “normal” life and the daily connection of coworkers and friends. This blog is for you! Connect with other employees to share COVID-19 stories, photos and support. Link: www.pinellascounty.org/hr/blogBlog Guide

Directions

No-Cost Financial CounselingGet two free calls with a licensed financial

planner to discuss retirement, debt, budgeting, investment, etc. with the Employee Assistance Program.Visit www.pinellascounty.org/hr/EAP.